Apr 16, Colombo: Authorities in Sri Lanka have set up a monitoring center to keep a tab on tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs.

The National Dangerous Drugs Control Board (NDDCB) has set up a Monitoring and Information Center for Industry Interference of Tobacco, Alcohol and Illicit Drugs.

The newly set up center will gather information on drug smuggling and consumption, analyze, review and share the data collected with the relevant authorities.

NDDCB Chairperson, Lesha de Silva Chandrasena has told a news conference that the Board had introduced a hotline number 1984 in 2010 to receive information on drug smuggling and directed it to the relevant authorities for necessary action. A new hotline number is now being initiated to operate alongside the former hotline number.

Chandrasena has explained that the NDDCB does not require the identity of the person giving the information, but definitely require the accuracy of the details.

She has added that the Board through this center has implemented a mechanism to monitor the investigations on the information that have been passed to the relevant authorities.